How to Clean a Stuffed Animal's Eyes

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Over time, with lots of love and cuddles, a stuffed animal's eyes can start to look scuffed, dull and lackluster. To clean the eyes of a stuffed animal, choose a method that best suits your toy.

Steps

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    • Plastic eyes can be damaged by abrasive items removing ink or gouging into the plastic, and heat can melt it.
    • Glass eyes can chip, crack or break if mishandled.
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    If just the eyes are the issue, simply spot clean them with one of the suggested methods.
    • If washing the toy as a whole in the washing machine and it has plastic eyes, place the stuffed toy in a pillow case before putting in the washing machine. The pillow case will protect the eyes.
    • It is not recommended that any stuffed toy with glass eyes, moving eyes or eyelashes be washed in a machine. Doing so will likely harm these areas of the toy.
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    Alternatively, wash on a lovely warm day and air dry outside, under a porch or shaded area (being careful to avoid birds that might leave a mark).
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Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Cleaning glass or plastic eyes

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    Use gentle dish soap or baby shampoo.
    • Note: You may like to see whether water alone is sufficient before using any detergent.
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    Wring out the water so that the cloth is only damp, then use it to wipe the eyes.
    • Avoid getting water behind or in the eyes. The cloth must only be damp, not saturated and wet.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Toothpaste clean for plastic eyes

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This method will clean plastic eyes. It can also help to restore light surface scratches on plastic toy eyes as it acts as a soft abrasive but don't expect a miracle, especially not if the scratches are deep.

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    • Use mint toothpaste, for a crisp, clean smell. Use proper toothpaste, not the gel.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Will the toothpaste damage the eyes in any way?
    Community Answer
    No, it won't. Just be careful not to get it on the fur.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 4 Helpful 12
  • Question
    Will it burn the eye?
    Nora
    Community Answer
    No! wikiHow would not tell you, "This is what you should do" if it would burn the stuffed animal's eyes!
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1
  • Question
    what if i accidentally dropped my stuffed animal in the toilet? do i just let it rot there? how do i clean it cause i dropped it in my poo
    Nora
    Community Answer
    Grab some gloves and get the stuffed animal out of the toilet, wipe or rinse off the poop, and put the toy through the washer. Or dunk it in water and clean thoroughly. Don't take it into the bathroom anymore.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Tips

      • Regular, quick cleans can be done using a warm, moist tissue wiped over the eye. This will remove dust and debris. It can also be used on eyelashes, if any.
        Thanks
      • Use an eraser on rubber eyes.
        Thanks
      • For glass eyes, an optional addition is to squeeze a tiny amount of sewing machine oil onto a clean, soft cloth. Wipe this over the dried, cleaned glass eyes to finish the clean. Keep away from the fur, or it'll get greasy. This can be helpful where the eyes are of the open and close shut type.
        Thanks
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      Warnings

      • Do not use alcohol, alcohol-based or acetone products on the toy's eyes. These can fade, etch or melt the eyes.
        Thanks
      • Water stuck inside or behind the eyes can cause mildew––take care to prevent this from happening.
        Thanks
      • Don't get toothpaste or oil in the toy's fur. Use a laundry detergent water mix to get any toothpaste or oil out of the fur.
        Thanks
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      Things You'll Need

      • Soapy water
      • Soft cleaning cloths
      • Soft tissue
      • Sewing machine oil (optional)
      • Toothpaste (any flavor)

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